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I am interested in medical herbalism. About 20 years ago, I worked as an herbalist with a medical clinic. Herbs can be great treatments, in their place. Some plants make strong medicine, like foxglove can make digitalis. Some plants do things that synthetic medications can’t yet do, like marijuana. But herbs are not always safe, and just because it is a naturally occurring plant substance doesn’t mean there are no bad effects. Take too much senna and you could have seriously dangerous diarrhea, and some plants are deadly poisonous, like oleander. There is an urban legend that says children have died from using oleander sticks for roasting marshmallows. While that is probably not true, it is very toxic, and an ounce of it can kill a pony, so be careful when using herbs. Read reputable books, and, if possible, get training with a reputable herbalist.
So, with those precautions, I’d like to introduce you to an herb that grows in most of the United States: Selfheal.
Selfheal has many local names. Heal-all, woundwort, Hercules flower, slough heal, all-heal, hook heal, sicklewort, brunella, carpenter’s friend, Heart of the Earth and blue curls are all names for Prunella vulgaris.
According to the Kew Species Profiles:
Prunella vulgaris is a common herb in Britain and is especially visible on lawns that have not been treated with weedkiller. The plant has a long history of medicinal use, and traditionally the leaves are applied to wounds to promote healing. According to the 16th-century herbalist John Gerard, ‘there is not a better wounde herbe in the world’. The 17th-century botanist Nicholas Culpeper wrote that the plant is called selfheal because ‘when you are hurt, you may heal yourself’.
Prior to World War II, it was used to staunch bleeding and for treating heart disease. A decoction of the leaves was used to treat sore throats and internal bleeding. It is used as an anti-inflammatory and has anti-allergic activity. In western medicine it is used externally for treating minor injuries, sores, burns, bruises and can also be used as a mouthwash to treat mouth ulcers.
Whereas in European countries herbalists have mainly used selfheal for treating wounds, in Chinese medicine it is mainly used for treating liver complaints, acting as a stimulant in the liver and gall bladder. Selfheal shows antiviral properties, and in China it is used as an anti-cancer drug.
Aside from its medical uses, Prunella vulgaris is a valuable addition to areas of grassland managed for wildflowers and wildlife, but can spread into cultivated areas if unchecked.
This herb has been used for ages in teas for sore throats and mouth sores, and in ointments for cuts, scrapes and skin irritations.
Selfheal is an herb that is mild and rarely an allergen, so its a good herb to use to make your first simple salve.
If you have some selfheal in your yard, you can pick it any time it is green, but the earlier in the season the better. While it is blooming in the summer, pick the whole above ground portion of the plant. Use some fresh in this ointment, and gently dry the rest to use for mildly medicinal teas for the rest of the year.
For this salve, you will need a handful of fresh selfheal, a handful of plantain weed leaves. Either narrow leaf, Virginia plantain, or common plantain is fine. (See this post about plantain), tea tree oil, a mild cooking oil like olive or coconut oil, and some beeswax. You will also want containers to put the finished salve in. I find that tins from breath mints like Altoids are nice, and so are the smallest canning jars or even clean baby food jars with lids.
You will need approximately one cup of oil, one ounce of beeswax, a half cup each of selfheal and plantain leaves, and a few drops of tea tree oil. Herbal salves tend to not have exact amounts. For a stronger salve, use more herbs. For a thicker salve, use more beeswax.
Pour about a cup of oil into the top of a bain-marie or double boiler, along with your chopped herbs — a handful, well chopped, of both selfheal and plantain will be enough. Gently heat the oil over simmering water in the double boiler for an hour or more. Gentle heat and long infusion times make great herbal oils, so don’t rush this part. While the oil is still warm, strain the herbs out. Don’t press the herbs to get out more ‘juice’. Just let them drip. Add a one to five drops of tea tree oil (depending on how strong you want the salve), and then the grated beeswax. Stir until the wax is melted and combined with the oil. (I like to have a cold plate to dribble some of the mixture onto at this point. It firms it up quickly, and, if it isn’t as thick as I like, I can add more beeswax.) While the mixture is still warm, pour it into your containers. Label your salve, and date it. It should keep for a month or longer in the cupboard, and a year or longer in the fridge. Use it on bumps and scrapes and mild rashes. I kept a container of selfheal salve in the fridge to put on bruises and owies when my kids were little, and now they ask for the salve to use for their children. Don’t use it on open wounds, and if anything looks worrisome or infected, stop using it and see a doctor.
You can make some substitutions for this salve. Instead of tea tree oil, you can use lavender oil. Instead of plantain leaves you can use marigold petals, or just another handful of selfheal.
If you are reading this, and really want to make a salve, but have no access to selfheal, or plantain, or tea tree oil, you can make a very decent salve with some herbs from your spice cupboard. Instead of the fresh herbs, use a tablespoon or two each of dried sage and rosemary, and a teaspoon or two of oregano. You can add a little garlic powder, but just a little or it will sting the skin. Use these instead of the selfheal, plantain and even the tea tree oil or lavender if don’t have them, and follow the instructions above, straining the spices out after at least an hour of infusion, and add the beeswax.
If you wanted to make herbal salve in a woods/camping/primitive situation, you would gently heat your selfheal and plantain (or your spices) with lard, or whatever clean cooking fat you had, in a pan over a slow, dying fire. Strain out the herbs, let the fat cool, and it would be ready for use. Spoon it into a covered bowl or container and apply as needed. Adjust the amounts to make small batches.
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If you are interested in herbal medicine, some great resources are:
Germany’s Commission E monographs. They use scientific methods to determine if herbal medicines are effective for their traditional uses.
The American Botanical Council. Links to scientific studies of botanical medicines.
The Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. This costs about $15.00 for a monthly subscription, but if you are studying alternative therapies, it is invaluable. Somewhat cheesy web design though.
Kew Species Profiles. A British site that tells historic uses for traditionally medicinal common plants. Good photos for identification.
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What have you done, or set aside for your preps? I’d love to hear, and we learn from sharing, so comment below!
In the comments, let us know your plans for being more prepared, and the measures you have taken to get there. Anything about getting yourself to a place where, in an emergency, you can care for yourself, your family, and your community is great to talk about.
If you would like to do a story for DK Preppers, I’ll try to have a discussion on Saturday afternoon and Tuesday evenings. The stories can be about your experiences, or just a topic to discuss. Let me know if you are interested.
Wednesday, Apr 12, 2017 · 1:44:41 AM +00:00
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AuntieB
Please do look for Besame’s comment below (I’ve screencapped it here) for additional information and warnings on where to pick herbs, and to be sure of identification. Plants that looks similar to Selfheal are deadnettle and Henbit. Both are edible, slightly medicinal plant, but henbit blooms in early spring rather than summer. Henbit’s leaves are scalloped and fan shaped, while deadnettle’s are scalloped and more triangular.